Best Time to Visit Costa Rica
Best time to visit Costa Rica: January, February and March. Month-by-month temperature, rainfall and crowd guidance.
Best time to visit Costa Rica
Go in January, February and March. These months score highest on comfortable temperatures, low rainfall and useful daylight.
Hardest months: June, July and August - expect the least comfortable mix of heat, cold or rain.
Climate in Costa Rica month by month
Average high, average low and total rainfall, based on three years of reanalysis data.
| Month | Avg high | Avg low | Rainfall | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 79° | 62° | 0,8 in | ★★★★★ |
| February | 79° | 62° | 1,1 in | ★★★★★ |
| March | 82° | 62° | 1,1 in | ★★★★★ |
| April | 81° | 63° | 3,9 in | ★★★★☆ |
| May | 80° | 64° | 9,1 in | ★★★☆☆ |
| June | 77° | 64° | 17,2 in | ★★★☆☆ |
| July | 78° | 64° | 11,7 in | ★★★☆☆ |
| August | 78° | 62° | 11,3 in | ★★★☆☆ |
| September | 78° | 62° | 16,9 in | ★★★☆☆ |
| October | 76° | 62° | 22,0 in | ★★★☆☆ |
| November | 75° | 62° | 16,0 in | ★★★☆☆ |
| December | 77° | 62° | 4,0 in | ★★★★☆ |
Climate type: Temperate. Source: Open-Meteo archive (ERA5).
How Costa Rica compares with nearby places
Annual averages, and the difference against Costa Rica.
What to pack, what to skip
- Sunglasses, a brimmed hat and SPF 30+
- A packable rain shell - 7 of the next 7 days carry a real chance of rain
- If your dates are flexible, avoid June, July and August - historically the least comfortable months here.
Summary
Costa Rica is a country in North America. Costa Rica is a country in North America with its capital at San Jose. It has a population of about 5.2 million. The capital is San Jose.
Right now it is 68°F (20°C) in Costa Rica with overcast. It feels like 71°F. Today runs from 68°F to 79°F. Chance of precipitation is 100%. Sightseeing conditions score 5.4/10 - marginal.
The best time to visit Costa Rica is January, February and March. The climate is temperate. June, July and August tend to be the least comfortable months. March is the warmest month with average highs near 82°F, while October is the coldest with lows near 62°F.
In plain terms. Today is about average for August. The forecast high of 79°F is in line with the 78°F typical for this month. The best window to be outside is roughly 7 AM to 10 AM, when temperature, rain chance and wind line up best. fishing is the strongest bet in Costa Rica today at 9.5/10. Visibility is down to 1,5 mi - use low beams and leave extra following distance. Wet roads are likely; braking distances roughly double in heavy rain.
Compiled from this page's own data: atlas facts plus live Open-Meteo readings.
Weather in Costa Rica right now
Source: Open-Meteo. Updated 5:24 AM, Aug 21 local time.
Weekend outlook
🌦️ 81° / 66°
Drizzle · 100% rain · wind 8 mph
🌦️ 77° / 69°
Light drizzle · 100% rain · wind 7 mph
Quick facts about Costa Rica
| Type | Country |
|---|---|
| Continent | North America |
| Continent | North America |
| Coordinates | 9°55′41.2″N 84°5′26.5″W (9.9281, -84.0907) |
| Capital | San Jose |
| Population | 5.200.000 |
| Area | 19.730 sq mi |
| ISO code | CR |
| ISO 3166-1 alpha-3 | CRI |
| Currency | Costa Rican colon (CRC) |
| Languages | Spanish |
| Calling code | +506 |
| Time zone | America/Costa_Rica |
| Local time | 5:24 AM (UTC-06:00) |
| Best months | January, February and March |
| Climate | Temperate |
Explore Costa Rica
Every topic we hold for this place, and the same topic for the places around it.
Best Time to Visit for related places
Frequently asked questions
Where is Costa Rica?
Costa Rica is a country in North America. Its coordinates are 9.9281, -84.0907. It lies in North America.
What is the weather like in Costa Rica right now?
It is currently 68°F (20°C) with overcast. Humidity is 83% and wind is 5 mph.
When is the best time to visit Costa Rica?
January, February and March offer the most comfortable conditions in Costa Rica, which has a temperate climate. June, July and August are usually the hardest months for outdoor plans.
What time zone is Costa Rica in?
Costa Rica observes America/Costa_Rica (UTC-06:00). The local time is 5:24 AM.
How many people live in Costa Rica?
Costa Rica has a population of approximately 5.2 million.
Related articles
Data sources and methodology
| Place data | USPOTUS Atlas dataset (countries-v1) - coordinates, hierarchy and facts. |
|---|---|
| Forecast and observations | Open-Meteo (ECMWF and national models). |
| Air quality and pollen | Copernicus CAMS via Open-Meteo. US AQI scale. |
| Climate averages | ERA5 reanalysis via the Open-Meteo archive, aggregated over 3 years. |
| Method | Scores, comparisons and advice on this page are computed from the inputs above. Distances are straight-line. Nothing is estimated where data is missing - the block is simply not shown. |
Last updated August 21, 2026 at 5:24 AM local time. Live blocks refresh every 15 minutes; climate averages monthly.
